He's Not Worth It
by muff1n
Summary: The Sugar Rush racers are sick and tired of Ralph always ruining everything in their game, and Vanellope has been oblivious to this fact for 6 years. What will this mean for their friendship?
1. Chapter 1

-He's Not Worth It-

 **Hey guys! Welcome to my first (and, probably last) story of a Wreck-It Ralph fanfic! I read a lot of WIR stories on FanFiction (because I a fan of WIR) and I must say that I'm very impressed with the time and effort it takes for you guys to come up with such imaginative and creative stories, so kudos to you! You guys are my inspiration and my motivation! Anyway, enough about me.**

 **This story is based off Ralph Breaks the Internet, but some** _ **slight**_ **change of events. This will include spoilers from the movie, so if you haven't seen it, don't spoil yourself! Turn away now!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Wreck-It Ralph/Ralph Breaks the Internet (T-T)**

 **Enjoy :)**

* * *

 _Please be a racing game, please be a racing game, please be a racing game!_

After what felt like forever, the new "game" was revealed.

Wi-Fi.

"Wiffey? Wifey?" Ralph struggled to pronounce. "Well it's either wiffle ball or an arranged marriage game."

"It's actually pronounced 'why-fie,' Ralph," Sonic corrected, "and Wi-Fi is the internet, which is an online community where human beings go online to shop, play games and socialize!" Ralph stood aloof from what Sonic was getting at, but Vanellope was already fascinated at this place that called The Internet.

"Ooh fun!"

"Oh no it is not!" The Surge Protector, as if on cue, came in and interjected. "The sign up there says 'Wi-Fi,' when it should say 'Die-Fi!'"

The crowd gave the Surge Protector a bemused look. The surge chuckled to himself awkwardly, then further explaining to persuade the crown not to enter this strange place, while restraining the entrance with police tape.

"It is new, it is different, and therefore we should fear it."

The crowd of game avatars proceeded about their normal business, leaving Vanellope and Ralph. Vanellope walked up to the police tape – Ralph standing behind her - longing to see the new world that stood before her, but still wishing it would be a new racing game.

"Is there something wrong with your game?"

"No…" Vanellope responded, "every bonus level has been unlocked, and I know every shortcut, and I'd kill for a new track!"

"But you already have 3 options!"

"I know but don't you ever wish that something new and different would happen in your game?"

"Nope."

Vanellope was astonished by his answer. "Well, agree to disagree." With that, she walked off to _Sugar Rush_ , head sulking knowing she was in store for the same old day in Litwak's Family Fun Center Arcade. This left Ralph to ponder his actions. He has been friends with Vanellope for over six years now, and he would do anything to keep her happy, even if it meant game over for him. Without her, he was just a bad guy who wrecked buildings. With this in mind, Ralph made his way to _Sugar Rush_.

 _She wants a new track, I'll get her a new track._

* * *

 **That's all for now folks! This is definitely not the end. I know it was technically a repeat of the movie, so you must be thinking "what's the point of this?" but DON'T WORRY. The changes will begin in the next chapter, and it will be longer than this one. Your reviews and feedback are appreciated! I know there's definitely room for improvement. Thanks for reading! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

He's Not Worth It – Chapter 2

 **I'm back guys! I'll be posting chapters daily, and if not, every other day if I have time, but since I'm on my winter break (11 days) I should be able to update daily since I don't think this story will exceed 11 chapters. Welp, on with the story!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Wreck-It Ralph/Ralph Breaks the Internet D:**

 **Enjoy :)**

* * *

All Sugar Rush racers and NPCs were heading to their start positions. Taffyta was over by the rainbow bridge, putting the finishing touches to her kart, _Pink Lightning_. All of a sudden, she felt the ground shaking underneath her feet. She grunted. She knew this meant one thing – no, _person_.

Wreck-it Ralph.

 _Has Ralph lost his mind?_

"RALPH!" Taffyta shouted. Ralph stopped in his tracks and turned his attention to her. "What the fudge are you doing here? The arcade is **OPEN**!"

"Sorry, Taff!" Ralph responded. "I gotta be the hero Vanellope knows and loves! She said the game is-"

"-in danger because of you?" Taffyta retorted. "Have you learned NOTHING from your last ' _adventure_?'" Ralph furrowed his eyebrows.

"…what?"

"You bring nothing but trouble to _Sugar Rush_! And your game! But Vanellope is blind as a bat to see that because she's under some spell with you!" Ralph blushed at that thought and immediately tried to shoo it away. "Hey that is not-"

"Have you gotten so close to Vanellope at this point, you're too stupid to realize you're putting not only our game, but YOUR game at risk?" Taffyta asked rhetorically. "Vanny needs a _friend_ , not a _hero_. It's way better than kissing her a-"

"Listen here, ya cavity, I'm doing this for Vanellope's happiness and there is nothing you can do to make me decide against it!" Ralph interrupted before she could finish off that word. "I gotta run!" With that, Ralph was off.

 _Ugh, why bother._ Taffyta thought as she drove to the start line.

* * *

Two kids, Swati and Nafisa, went to play _Sugar Rush_ , with Nafisa spectating. They chose Vanellope as their racer. _Of course_ , most of the racers thought as rolling their eyes. No, it wasn't of jealousy, but this was becoming a normal thing. If it wasn't for Vanellope, no one would be playing their game. _Sugar Rush_ was the most popular game at Litwak's 6 years in a row. King Candy was history.

"You're not winning this time, princess." Taffyta said to Vanellope while giving her a competitive look. Vanellope smirked. "While I am technically a princess, Taffyta, I'd rather you think of me as _plain old Vanellope: the racer who's about the kick your butt._ " The announcer counted down, and the racers zoomed off.

Ralph was nearby, about to begin his heroine work for Vanellope. The thought of Taffyta even being in the same game with her made him scowl. "That Taffyta," he said aloud to himself, "if I could give her a piece of her mind then I would. She understands by helping Vanellope I'm helping her, the other racers, and the game too. She knows I don't wreck things on purpose, unless it's during arcade hours. If only…"

Ralph then had a flashback of his life before he met Vanellope. How every day of his life he was rejected. How he was mistreated by his fellow NPC characters, as well as avatars outside his game. How the nicest guy in the game, heck, the _arcade_ , didn't do anything to prevent it. How he was the _**Bad Guy**_.

Ralph sighed.

… _if only she could give me a chance._

Ralph was brought back into reality with the booming voice of the announcer in the air.

" _Vanellope takes a huge lead! No one is gonna beat her now!"_

Ralph had realized he was subconsciously making/breaking the track while he was in his deep train of thought, but he regained his full focus and made the finishing touches. "Ah, she's gonna love this."

* * *

 _Meanwhile on the racetrack,_

Vanellope had just passed Taffyta. Taffyta let out a wail of defeat and rage. Candlehead and Rancis caught up with her.

"You know, as much as I lo- LIKE Vanellope," Rancis quickly corrected himself as he blushed, "she can seem to be a bit, I dunno, _cocky_ , y'know?" "It's her and that glitch!" Taffyta shouted over the rushing winds and tires screeching on the racetrack. "It's gives us an unfair advantage! It's the only reason why people pick her!" "Hey, as long as our game is being played, that's all that matters," Candlehead added herself in to the conversation. As right as she was, Taffyta didn't want to admit it. "Whatever. I'm not gonna let it distract me from the fact that I'm the best racer in _Sugar Rush_. NATURALLY." Taffyta, Candlehead and Rancis were approaching the finish line. They took their attention off the road when they saw a random flying object in the sky. Time seemed to slow down for them to identify what that object was.

"Look, it's a bird!" Candlehead shouted.

"It's a plane!" Rancis shot back.

"No, it's-"

They immediately recognized the shrill screaming voice of the _character_ , and time went back to normal.

" _Vanellope_?!" they all said in unison.

Taffyta felt the ground shaking again. She saw Ralph running over to the side Vanellope had landed.

"Hey, what's Ralph doing here?!" Candlehead asked. "Shouldn't he be in _Fix-it Felix Jr._?" "That's exactly what I'm thinking!" Rancis said. Taffyta didn't acknowledge any of their questions. She was livid. Of all the years she knew Ralph, when she suggested something, it never went through to him in his 8-bit brain. This was the last straw.

"Taffyta look!"

Candlehead called her back into reality when she set her gaze on the jumbotron, which separated them from their game and the human world. What they saw and heard made their hearts drop. The girl, Swati, was holding the detached steering wheel in shame, and called Mr. Litwak. Things _never_ turned out well if Mr. Litwak was called. They ran over to Vanellope to see if she was okay.

"Vanellope! Get up here now! We got a situation!"

Vanellope's usually happy-go-lucky, joyful, and mischievous face turned into a worried expression.

" _Mr. Litwak, The Vanellope racer wasn't working and I think maybe I turned the wheel too hard_?" Swati confessed.

"What did you do, Ralph?!" Taffyta whispered with anger in her voice. "And why are you here, they'll see you and get suspicious!"

"Nothing!" he whispered back with the same tone in his voice.

"He was just trying to make the game more fun and exciting!" Vanellope added as an attempt to defend him.

"Yeah! Why don't you relax, Taffyta? Litwak will fix this!"

But that's where Ralph was wrong. Litwak made matters worse, by breaking the steering wheel in half. Vanellope and the 3 racers gave Ralph a skeptical look.

"Okay… still not a problem. He'll just order a new part!" Candlehead and Vanellope looked like they had some form of hope, but Taffyta and Rancis weren't buying it.

" _I'd order a new part_ ," Litwak continued which took Ralph by surprise, " _but the company that made_ Sugar Rush _went out of business years ago_." Ralph's mouth was agape, while the racers' grimaced.

" _I can try to find one on the internet_ ," one of the kids suggested. " _Ooh, me too_ ," the rest of the kids surrounding _Sugar Rush_ said, searching for the steering wheel like it was their job.

" _Ha, that'll be like finding a needle on a hayst_ -"

" _I found one! On eBay!_ " Swati said with a shocked Litwak in front of her.

"See, the kids got it under control," Ralph assured. "They'll just order a new part from eBoy." The racers still weren't convinced.

" _Are you kidding me, how much?!"_ Litwak exclaimed. Swati's confidence dropped. " _That's more than this game makes in a year! I hate to say this, but I'll have the maintenance guy come on Monday and it may be time to… sell_ Sugar Rush _for parts._ "

" _Aww…_ "

"Where's he…" Ralph tried to figure out the next action Litwak would take. Once he figured out, his heart skipped a beat. "Litwak's gonna unplug your game! Run!" Ralph and the Sugar Rush characters scrambled for the exit.

* * *

Everyone was running for their lives. They didn't have a chance to lake one last glance of their sugary home, pixelating, and certain areas already being sucked into oblivion. By now, all the characters have reached the halfway point of the cord. One little candy corn character tripped and fell, which did minor damage to its leg, but prevented it from walking any further.

"Vanellope, help!"

Vanellope looked back to see some racers and the other candy NPCs running past the poor candy character. _Ugh_ , _inconsiderate freaks_. She thought.

Without thinking twice, she jumped off Ralph's shoulder and made a sprint for the fallen character.

"Kid?! What're you doing?"

"I gotta save a citizen!"

"No Kid, I can't lose you! Get back here!"

"Ralph, I'm not just some helpless baby, I can handle this on my own! Go help the other characters!"

Ralph frowned at her response. "I'm just trying to be the hero no one can be for you," he muttered. Taffyta, who was nearby, smirked at the outcome of their short conversation. _None of this would be happening if you hadn't come in the first place, Ralph_ , she though. At this point, the characters have reached Game Central Station. With Wynchel and Duncan in the front, they ran over the Surge Protector, and the rest stampeded him.

"What the heck are you all doing outside your game?! The arcade is open!"

" _Sugar Rush_ is getting unplugged!" Ralph responded. Before anyone could speak any further, everyone looked up to see the plug that lead to _Sugar Rush_ was now completely out. There was nothing but darkness ahead of them.

"We're homeless!" Wynchel and Duncan cried in unison.

"Oh no, I'm freaking out hard," Sour Bill cried but still in his bored, monotone voice.

"Yeah, what are we gonna do?!"

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Taffyta screamed, revealing the super sensitive side of her. It wasn't just any scream, but a scream of anger, fear, worry, and hate.

"Calm down, calm down, get a hold of yourselves!" the Surge said, but no one paid him any mind.

Things were looking hopeless. Ralph and Vanellope stood in the middle of it all, worried, but remaining calm.

"Wh…Where are we gonna live?" Vanellope asked.

"I uh... I've never seen this many gameless characters since Space Invaders." Surge admitted. "You all can stay here 'til the arcade closes, I guess, and we'll figure out where the heck we're gonna put you all."

All the _Sugar Rush_ characters walked to a nearby bench in dismay. Ralph blamed himself for the loss, but as he tried to apologize, each character either ignored him, give him a sad look, a disappointed look, or a mad look. Finally, Vanellope passed by.

"Vanellope, please, I'm so sorry! I was just trying to make you happy and now the whole game hates me! And I- I-" Ralph's voice broke and he felt a lump in his throat. Vanellope only looked back and gave him a look of disappointment. Ralph took out his cookie medal that Vanellope has made for him all those years ago. He showed it to her. She knew it meant Ralph was being her hero. But she didn't agree. She turned back around and found a seat between Taffyta and Rancis.

Ralph could never forgive himself for what he did.

* * *

 **That's all for now, folks! Sorry I didn't publish yesterday, I was out Christmas shopping all day and once I got home (around midnight) I was knocked out! But there will be more coming tomorrow! Your reviews and feedback are appreciated! Thanks for reading! Happy Holidays! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

He's Not Worth It – Chapter 3

 **Hey everyone! I'm back at it again! In this chapter, Ralph and Vanellope finally go to the internet. Instead of the story focusing on** _ **their**_ **journey, it'll focus on what happens in Game Central Station during their travel.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Wreck-It Ralph/Ralph Breaks the Internet**

 **Enjoy :)**

* * *

For the rest of the day, Ralph's day was pretty gloomy, on account that he got his best friend/little sister's game unplugged. He had offered Vanellope and a few other racers to stay in his game, _Fix-it Felix Jr._ , but the characters were too upset to utter a word to him, implying they declined. To Ralph's (somewhat) relief, no one has played _Fix-it Felix Jr._ during the time he was in _Sugar Rush._ Felix took notice of his current mood, and honestly, it broke his heart to see his brother in such a state.

"Ralph? What happened?" he asked.

" _Sugar Rush_ got unplugged and it's a-"

"Oh my land!" Felix cried aloud. "Did Vanellope and the other characters make it out safely?!"

"Of course they did," Ralph responded with an exasperated sigh. "But it's all my fault! It's never coming back and Vanellope will hate me for eternity!" Ralph buried his head in his abnormally large hands. Felix patted his hand lightly. "Oh Ralph," Felix said. "It's not your fault. I actually saw what happened through the screen. If only that girl hadn't put so much pressure on the steering wheel, _Sugar Rush_ could still be in order. Nothing lasts forever, I guess." Ralph tried to find something to retort, but he was at a loss for words. There was silence between the two for at least a minute, then Ralph broke the silence.

"Hey Felix, can I ask you a question?"

"Anything."

"Do you think I can be… _clingy_? Especially towards Vanellope?"

Felix had to ponder over this one. He knew Ralph and Vanellope were nearly inseparable, which was no different with his relationship with Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun. Over the years, Ralph had picked up some of Vanellope's childish, bratty and annoying habits, but it wasn't her fault. The two loved each other (friend-wise) and Ralph has never had a friend who was not all that different from him.

Felix didn't want to get in the way of that.

"I wouldn't say you're _clingy_ ," Felix finally answered. "You're just looking out for Vanny, and you're always there for her. She may not show it, but she loves and appreciates it. You're a good friend, Ralph. There is nothing anyone can say to change that." This gave Ralph some reassurance, but he was still skeptical.

"I dunno Felix. Sometimes I get the feeling she's tired of me!"

"What makes ya say that?"

"Well, over the last few weeks, I've been noticing there's been a slight difference of tone in her voice when she's around me! She seems less excited to do things with me! I know we've been through the whole arcade several times but come on!" Before Felix could say the next thing, a sound went off.

" **QUARTER ALERT! QUARTER ALERT!"**

"Looks like that's our cue, brother," Felix sighed. "I'll talk to ya later. As soon as the arcade closes, you bring the racers into the Niceland apartment, and Tammy and I will decide what we'll do with 'em. I'm guessing you got Vanny handled?"

"Of course," Ralph said and smiled. "Thanks Felix."

"Anytime Ralph."

* * *

The day went by pretty fast, and soon enough the arcade closed for today. It was Saturday, meaning tomorrow the arcade would be closed the whole day.

Ralph rushed to Game Central Station to gather up the racers. To his surprise, a variety of arcade characters were offering the candy NPCs shelter. As long as they weren't offering them to their grave, he was okay with that. Ralph, the 15 racers, and Sour Bill all took the trolley to _Fix-it Felix Jr._ , with Ralph sitting next to Vanellope, and Sour Bill sitting on her lap. It was a long and silent trip. Once they arrived, Ralph directed the racers over to the Niceland apartment. Vanellope didn't comply. Instead, she climbed the ladder to the top of the building, so she can look at her now lifeless game with the 'Out of Order' sign on the screen. Ralph was eventually on top as well. He was scrimmaging with some left-over belongings from _Sugar Rush._

"I can't believe I don't have a game anymore…" she said almost to herself. "What am I gonna do every day?" To hear Vanellope talking to Ralph again (a little, at least) put him at ease.

"C'mon, are ya kidding?" he replied. "Ya sleep in, ya do no work, and you can go to Tapper's with me every night! I've literally just described _paradise_."

"But I loved my game!"

"Oh come on, you were just bellyaching about the track being too easy!"

"Well that didn't mean I didn't love it! I mean sure the track was _sort of_ predictable, but I still never really knew what would happen in a race. And that feeling of not knowing what was coming next it was just…"

Ralph was trying the best he could to keep up. He couldn't relate to racing or spontaneous moments, but he knew how it felt for a game to be unplugged. Not that _his_ game has been unplugged, but in his 36 years of wrecking, seeing games come and go, and having friends that had their games unplugged, he didn't have to have an unplugged game to know what it felt like.

"If I'm not a racer, Ralph…what am I?"

"Well you're my best friend!" he responded.

"That's not enough." She muttered.

Ralph's expression dropped. "What?"

"No, no I-I-I'm so-o-o-ry!" Vanellope started glitching. "I know I'm be-e-eing weird it's just…" Vanellope let out a sigh. "Maybe it's just best if you leave me alone."

Ralph's heart sank. "O-okay! I'll meet you at Tapper's!"

No response.

"If you want…"

Still no response.

* * *

 _Meanwhile in the Niceland apartment,_

"Alright, now we've already found homes for so many characters from _Sugar Rush_ , and we're just hoping a few more of you would open your doors, _and_ your hearts to fill their needs!" Felix said. He gathered a few Nicelanders and characters from other games like Chun-Li, Satine, M Bison, Zangief, and of course, his wife.

"Well, I suppose that large green olive will fit in my suite with my décor," Gene suggested.

"I'm a sour _ball_ ," Sour Bill corrected in his dreary voice.

"Well beggars can't be choosers, can they? Come on, peppermint."

"Mmmm, okay."

"Marvelous! That just leaves the racers!" Felix exclaimed.

"We're adorable," Taffyta said, and the 9 other racers made cute poses to prove her point.

"You sure are!" Felix cooed, "so any takers?" No one volunteered. Vanellope and the racers never had parents, which technically made them orphans. To see that no one would care for them, or even come _near_ them, was a painful site.

" _Anyone_?"

Felix looked back at the racers, all on the verge of tears. Once Felix turned away, Rancis gave Taffyta a reassuring hand to her shoulder. "At least we have each other." The message was directed towards the rest of the racers. They forced a tiny smile of hope. The racers were startled from what they heard next.

" _I know! It feels like the kind of thing you just JUMP into with both feet and MARRY a plan_!" The racers stood dumbfounded.

"Felix and I will give them sanctuary!" Calhoun said proudly. They were overjoyed by the news. Once the other characters left, and Felix, Calhoun and the Surge went into the kitchen, they got settled in themselves. They rarely traveled outside their game, so all this was new to them.

"There are so many coins in this room!" Snowanna exclaimed.

"Toss one over here!" Jubileena said, and they started tossing the "coin" back and forth.

"Hey, I wanna play, too!" Gloyd whined, and eventually they were playing Monkey in the middle. A curtain caught Crumbelina's attention.

"Ooh, rock climbing!" she cried, and started climbing the curtain. Then, a giant painting filled Candlehead, Taffyta and Swizzle with delight.

"WOW, A TV!" they all said simultaneously. Immediately, Taffyta tried to get it working.

Out of nowhere, the children heard screaming. Which came from Minty, driving her pretend race car, being controlled by Rancis, and Adorabeezle acting as an obstacle by chasing them with huge scissors. The scream startled Felix and Calhoun. What they saw was a mayhem.

"Hey mom, why does your _lame TV_ only have _one channel_?" Taffyta asked."

Surge chuckled. "Don't say I didn't warn y-OW!" he was knocked out with a trophy.

The sugar children were hyperactive for 5 more minutes. To the Fix-it's relief, they eventually they tired themselves out. Felix rarely needed a root beer, but tonight was just one of those nights. He offered his Tammy to come along, but she politely declined and headed back to her game. He made way to the trolley which lead to GCS, but before he could leave, he spotted Vanellope sitting on Ralph's stump, head buried in her lap and arms hugging her knees.

"Hey Vanny," Felix greeted. "You doin' okay?" She was a bit startled by his presence, considering they weren't around each other often, but for once, she was glad it was someone other than Ralph. She forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"I got some news for you, little lady," Felix continued as he booped her nose, which made her slightly giggle, "Tammy and I just welcomed you and your friends with loving, open arms! We're all now one, b-big, happy, f-f-family!" His eye twitched thinking of the 14 racers as family. Felix, Ralph and Calhoun could _only_ tolerate Vanellope, but the 14 _Sugar Rush_ racers were another story.

" _Family_?" Vanellope repeated as her eyes widened. She started to glitch from that one word. "T-that's great! I really ap-precriate it!"

He wasn't convinced she was happy. Something was clearly bothering her. "Is something the matter?"

"It's just," Vanellope sighed, "I've never had a mom, dad, or siblings before." She turned to Felix. "What does _family_ feel like?"

Felix had to dig deep. Describing family wasn't the easiest thing to do. He had a family, but it was part of his backstory. It wasn't a sad backstory, but he wanted something that was more than just data, and he finally got it.

"Family is like sacrificing yourself for others," he finally said. "You would willingly do something for them, without having to feel bad, because you love them. Your smiles, hugs, and laughter mean something. You would have bad feelings towards them sometimes if an awful situation occurred, because they matter to you and you would expect them to know better. Kind of like how Ralph risked his life for you all those years ago so you could be a racer and save _Sugar Rush_ from all those cybugs, and now making a new track to satisfy you."

"So I'm… _family_ to Ralph?" Vanellope asked.

"Absolutely." Felix responded. "And to Tammy and me as well, and don't you forget it. I'm heading to Tapper's, wanna come with?"

"No thanks, I think I'll just stay here."

Felix nodded in understanding and headed back to the trolley.

"Hey Felix?"

He stopped and turned around to face Vanellope once more.

"Thanks."

He tipped his hat towards her.

"No problem, Vanny."

* * *

Vanellope was fast asleep while the racers went to mingle with other video game characters outside of _Fix-it Felix Jr._ Surprisingly, she was having a peaceful dream after the unplugging fiasco. She was dreaming about a Random Roster Race taking place, and she was in the lead, with Taffyta and Rancis following suit. Felix and Calhoun were watching all their newly adopted children from Vanellope's "VVS" grandstand and cheering each racer on. She was about 1,000 feet away from the finish line. Everything was fine and dandy until she saw Ralph standing in front of the finish line.

" _Hey Kid_!" he hollered.

" _Ralph_?!" she called out, trying to slow down, but she couldn't move her feet, and the current speed was unchanging.

" _Get off the road_!"

Ralph didn't comply.

Everything around her, except Ralph, seemed to disappear. She was less than 100 feet away.

"WAKE UP!"

Vanellope woke up glitching onto the stump, taken aback by the message. She saw Ralph standing in front of her, looking all joyful. "Ralph, what is wrong with you?!" Ralph ignored her question.

"Start churnin' butter, and put on your church shoes, little sister, 'cause we're about to blast off!"

Vanellope stood bewildered. "Ralph, what is it that you're trying to say?"

"We're going to the internet."

" _What_?!"

"Yeah, to find the part to fix your game!"

"No way!"

Ralph and Vanellope made a beeline for the _Wi-Fi_ entrance. Surprisingly, the Surge was not guarding it because he was still out cold from the trophy to the face. Before they could proceed, a familiar voice was heard.

"Vanellope!"

Taffyta was talking to one of the angel kids from the game, well, _Angel Kids_. She needed some fresh air after being surrounded by 8-bit atmosphere. "Why are you going into that _Wi-Fi_ place?"

"Me and Stinkbrain over here are gonna get the steering wheel from the internet so we can fix _Sugar Rush_!" Vanellope said with confidence.

"You should let me and the racers come with you! It's our game too!" Taffyta recommended.

"Sorry, Laffy Taffy, but you should sit this one out," Ralph said. "Vanellope and I are ALWAYS a team of 2."

"Uh, Vanellope, can I talk to you? ALONE?" Taffyta emphasized.

"Oh, uh, sure!" she said. Taffyta pulled her over, and far enough to be out of earshot with Ralph.

"Don't you think Ralph has 'helped' enough in trying to save our game?" Taffyta air quoted.

"What do you mean?"

"What I _mean_ is when Ralph wants to help contribute in keeping our game safe and in order, HE'S the one to start the mess in the first place! Would you really trust a buffoon like him to go running around the Internet, destroying and breaking everything in sight?"

Vanellope furrowed her eyebrows at the nickname. "Hey, it's not like he does it intentionally! He's only trying to be a hero!"

"Kissing up to someone isn't the same as being a hero, Van."

Vanellope's face reddened. "K-Kiss up?! Who said anything about Ralph being a kiss-up?! You've _clearly_ never had real friends before and you _CLEARLY_ don't know the true value of friendship!" Before Taffyta could say anything, Vanellope turned away and made her way back towards the _Wi-Fi_ entrance. "Come on, Ralph, we don't have time for this." Ralph glanced at Vanellope, then at Taffyta, then back at Vanellope. He was at a loss for words, so he just followed Vanellope into the _Wi-Fi_ router.

 _A real friend…_?

* * *

 **That's all for now, folks! The next chapter might take a little longer to make since I have an idea what I want to do next, but at the same time, I don't. Your reviews and feedback are appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

He's Not Worth It – Chapter 4

 **Hey everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying their holidays and Christmas! Also, I want to thank you guys (you know who you are) for giving me some ideas what to write for this chapter! It was originally going to be about Felix and Calhoun bonding with the racers, but now I'm certain on what to do. Thanks again! Well enough chitchat. Let's go!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Wreck-It Ralph/Ralph Breaks the Internet, and it makes me sad, so I'm gonna play Pancake Milkshake to make myself feel better**

 **Enjoy :)**

* * *

Taffyta reflected on what Vanellope had said to her before she left for the internet.

" _You've_ _clearly_ _never had real friends before and you_ _CLEARLY_ _don't know the true value of friendship!_ "

Before Vanellope came into the picture as _princesident_ , Taffyta has been the center of attention in _Sugar Rush_. Even King Candy/Turbo occasionally smothered her in praises. Characters outside knew her well, and she was quite popular with other racing games like _Mario Kart 64, Finish Line_ and _NASCAR._ They sometimes considered making a copy of her code into their games.

Taffyta was the queen. Taffyta was The One.

She enjoyed the attention. No, not Turbo-level attention craving, that much is fortunate.

However, having friends, _real friends_ , never came into mind.

Most days/nights when she wasn't racing, she was basically alone, but she didn't think much of it. All she needed were her many winner's cups and medals to remind her that she was a winner. Sure, she hung out with Candlehead and Rancis the most, and they were her supposedly 'closest' friends, but it just didn't add up. They only really talked during arcade hours, and when they tormented Vanellope back in her glitch days. Other than that, nobody was there for her when she was feeling down, because everyone thought of her as an independent woman in a child's body. If someone wanted to talk to her, the topic was, 100% of the time was in fact, racing. As much as she loved it, she dreaded talking about it 25 hours a day, 8 days a week. Some people even feared being around her because of her fierce demeanor.

So Vanellope was right.

Taffyta had no real friends. The _Sugar Rush_ citizens were programmed to idolize her, and nothing else. No video game character in Litwak's knew her true colors.

Today, she wanted to change that.

She headed off to _Sugar Ru_ \- oh right, her game got unplugged, thanks to a certain somebody. So instead, she headed to her new home, _Fix-it Felix Jr._ She was greeted by some of the Nicelanders, but she didn't acknowledge them. She walked to the entrance of the apartment, but was greeted by a familiar, monotonous voice.

"Yeeeeeessssss?" Sour Bill said.

"Sour, what are you doing at the door?" Taffyta hissed. "You could trip someone!"

"Mayor Gene said I didn't fit in with his décor," the green ball responded, "so he gave me a job to be a doorman/guard, in case there are any intruders. Allow me to demonstrate." Taffyta quickly took a step back before she could fall into the darkness the 'WELCOME' trapdoor mat had to offer.

"I even installed a system just like the one at home," he added.

"That's…great." Taffyta simply said. Though she was moody, she was slightly impressed with the sour ball's ability to adjust to his new life in the 8-bit game. "Anyways, where can I find Mr. Handyman and Sergeant Shoots-a-Lot?"

"Up in the penthouse with the other racers, waiting for you," Sour Bill replied, easily able to identify who the two characters were despite their nickname.

 _Waiting for me_? She thought. _Did I do something wrong_?

As soon as Taffyta reached the penthouse, she indeed saw Felix, Calhoun and the racers – including the recolors - sitting in different places, talking amongst themselves. It didn't take too long for them to notice the strawberry-themed racer.

"Ah, Taffyta," Felix said. "It's nice of you to join us! Please sit." Taffyta hesitantly complied, taking a seat next to Candlehead. She looked at her with sadness in her eyes, but the candle-headed racer only side-glanced her and shifted the opposite direction. _That wasn't a good sign at all_.

"Alright, listen up, you little lambs," Calhoun said to finally break the silence. "We brought each of you here today to share some news with you."

" _Sugar Rush_ is getting plugged back in?!" Jubileena blurted out. All the racers started yelling at once. Calhoun shot bullets into the air to shut them up.

"That would be correct, young lady!" Felix replied. "Ralph and Vanellope have traveled to the inter-"

"Ralph and Vanellope?" Citrusella repeated. " _Ralph_ and _Vanellope_?! Why is it always 'Ralph and Vanellope?' Why can't Vanellope trust us to do things with her?"

"Guys, it's nothing per-"

Felix was interrupted again by Nougetsia, another recolor. "I don't get what she sees in him! He totally ruined everything in our game! He always automatically offers to fix it to cover his messy behind up!"

"GUYS!" Felix shouted. "Ralph is doing this for you guys! He loves all of you!" The racers cringed at such a strong word.

"Nuh-uh," Gloyd said, "He does anything and everything to please Vanellope."

"If a situation involves us and _only_ us, he doesn't give a fudge," Torvald added. Felix thought back to his conversation with Ralph at Tapper's, after he asked him about going into the internet.

" _If that part is the only thing that's gonna fix the game and that's the only thing that's gonna make Vanellope happy again!"_

"… _make Vanellope happy again..."_

"… _Vanellope happy…"_

Felix sighed. The racers were right, Ralph often did only have regards for Vanellope, but he also thought about the game too, so he thought about them. He was about to speak again, but he heard Taffyta mutter something. Everyone gave her a dumbfounded look.

"What was that, sugar?" Felix asked.

"I said, it's because Vanellope considers Ralph a _true friend_!" she repeated. "I mean, can you blame them? When we were putting her down., he picked her up! When no one was there, he was! That's why they're so close! I just wish-" Taffyta quickly covered her mouth as if she was embarrassed of what she would say next.

"You wish, _what_ , Taffyta?" Rancis prompted.

Taffyta's face turned bright red. She wanted to say, " _That you guys would feel the same way about me_."

"Nothing!" she insisted. She was at a loss for words. "Just leave me alone!" She stormed out of the penthouse. Felix tried to go after her, but he was stopped by his wife's hand on his shoulder.

"There's always Plan B," she said with a smirk. That was enough to make his face light up.

"Of course! We have also gathered y'all today to get to know you, and maybe, solve some…unresolved issues," Felix said with a slight chuckle, head gesturing towards the slammed door.

"I wanna go first!" Adorabeezle whined.

"No, I should go first!" Crumbelina argued. Eventually, all 14 racers started arguing on who would go first. Calhoun shot her rifle again.

"We already decided who's going first, and we put you into groups," Felix continued. "Swizzle and Candlehead, you go first. Snowanna, Jubileena and Gloyd, you'll be next. Rancis, Minty and Adorabeezle will go after them. The recolors will follow-"

"And I got Strawberry Shortcake taken care of," Calhoun added in. "That sound good?"

The racers all nodded in agreement.

"We start at dinner time."

* * *

 _Dinnertime,_

The racers wanted to feel at home when eating dinner, so Felix insisted on cooking lasagna with pink food coloring (pink lasagna), since everything and _anything_ they ate was candy. They didn't mind trying something new. The children lined up to get their food, which involved a lot of pushing and shoving, but Calhoun stopped that.

"Now, instead of all the physical action, we say _excuse me_. Then we _kindly_ ask, 'may I get in front of you.' If you're not as hungry, say yes. But if you're a dying hamster like this one," she gestured over at Gloyd, " **POLITELY** decline. Got it?"

The racers complied.

"Crumbelina, I'm not as hungry as you are, so you can get in front of me," Rancis said.

"Thanks, Rancis. Excuse me."

"You look hungry, Sticky," Candlehead said. "I'll get behind you."

"Thanks, Candle. Excuse me."

Eventually, in a neat an organized manner, the children formed a single file line, from Gloyd to Rancis, hungriest to least. Once everyone got their food, Candlehead and Swizzle followed Felix into his own suite.

"Okay Swizzle, you care to explain what happened between you and Candlehead a few hours ago?" he asked.

"Yeah, care to explain?" Candle repeated with a sharp expression.

"I uh, took Candlehead's candle?" he simply replied.

"Why?"

"N-no reason in particular."

"Come on, there's a reason for everything."

"Well not this one!" Swizz said a little louder. "I just want her attention because I really like her and I want her to like me!" Swizzle clamped his mouth shut after he realized what he said. Candlehead's and Felix's mouths were agape. Felix slid into the background letting them know they should work it out themselves. There was a long, awkward silence between the two.

"S-swizz, is this true?" Candlehead finally spoke.

"Y-yeah." He affirmed. "It started during the roster race 6 years ago, when you did the Cherry Bomb on Vanellope. You literally created a new power up! Plus you're pretty, and you're candle gives off a nice scent. You may not be the smartest _Sugar Rush_ racer, but you have the best personality."

Candlehead's cheeks were burning. "I-I don't know what to say…"

"You don't have to say anything."

"But I do! I've had a crush on you too! But for all our 21 years of racing! It was crazy, but it started to die down 6 years ago…"

"Heh, I don't blame you. I guess I-"

The Swizz noticed that he was face to face with Candlehead as he looked up. She was leaning in with puckered lips. What could he do? What could he say? His thoughts were interrupted by Felix pulling them apart.

"NOW doesn't it just feel GREAT to be more OPEN towards each other about your FEELINGS?" he was slightly taken aback of what played out in front of him. But the 2 racers nodded in agreement.

"Wonderful!" Felix said. "Now why don't you two head back up to the penthouse, and be more open, just not TOO open, alright?"

"Okay!" they giggled and left.

Felix met with the rest of the group of racers. Each stating their conflicts, Felix giving them a piece of advice or 2, and applying their lessons to their fellow peers. Things were turning out very smooth. Once Felix finished talking to all 13 racers, he had given Calhoun the signal to console Taffyta, who was sitting alone on a bench by the tram that led to Game Central Station.

"I figured you could use some food since you haven't eaten in hours." Calhoun could tell the strawberry-themed racer was deep in thought with the sophisticated look on her face. She had accepted the offer but didn't say anything in return.

"You're welcome."

She looked up at the sergeant, who produced a serious tone, but had a smirk. She forced a smile.

"Thanks." She looked down at the strange food. " _Pink lasagna_?"

"Felix's specialty."

She nodded in understanding and proceeded to eat. She was interrupted yet again by the sergeant.

"What was that fuss about back at the penthouse, soldier?"

Taffyta averted her gaze to her glittery pink shoes in disappointment. "I have no friends."

Calhoun was shocked by her response. "I see you, Peanut Butter-Chocolate and Candle-butt hanging out all the time, though."

"Well it's only for public display!" Taffyta admitted, intending not to yell. She was getting sick of the Taffyta-Rancis-Candlehead stereotype. "They're only programmed to be my friends! They don't care about me outside the game! None of the racers do!"

Calhoun was unfazed by her sudden action. "What makes you say that?"

"I'd say hi to them, but I have little to no chance of getting a response back. I'd make plans with them but they always decline saying they have 'other things to do.' I mean, who would pass up such an opportunity to hang out with me? The only conversation they can spark up is 'can I borrow your kart? Mine broke down.' They're all fake! Plastic!"

"And Vanellope?"

Taffyta felt a blood rush up her cheeks. She had quickly forgotten about Vanellope since she left with Ralph for the internet 16 hours ago.

"She's the only real friend I have."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I mean, despite our huge rivalry and me bullying her for 15 years – which I still feel horrible about – she's been super nice to me, like none of that exists. Before, during and after arcade hours. When Ralph's not around, she would take me to Tapper's and Burger Time and we would just…talk! Life, racing, and other things! We would drive around our game from start to finish, laughing and exchanging playful insults. I-I've never appreciated anyone more."

Calhoun was listening carefully. Taffyta continued.

"T-that's why I get mad when she's hanging out with Ralph all the time! We barely hang out anymore! She turns down everything just to hang out with him and you guys! If she isn't around, I feel like I'm all alone. She was the only one that kept me company. She inspires me to keep being me!"

"I see." Calhoun simply said. She didn't have much to say, but she fully understood what the child was going through. "Tell you what, we can go back up the penthouse and I'll round up all the racers, and I'll have to hear their side of the story."

Taffyta nodded in agreement and headed back to the apartment.

"And short stack," Calhoun called again. _What is with her and stopping me today_? "What usually helps me calm down in shootin' cybugs on the wall. Maybe I could introduce 'em to you later this week." She said with a smirk.

Taffyta knew she was going to look forward to the week.

* * *

 **That's all for now, folks! Sorry I took so long, I was still deciding on what to write, but here it is. Next chapter might be shorter since the racers are sharing their true feelings, but better than nothing, right? Your reviews and feedback are appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

He's Not Worth It – Chapter 5

 **Hey everyone! I'm back with another chapter. I love all of your ideas! Let's go!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Wreck-It Ralph/Ralph Breaks the Internet, but I still have my dignity.**

 **Enjoy :)**

* * *

 _In the internet,_

" _What would Ralph say if it turns out I stay, in this PLACE CALLED SLAUGHTER RAAAACE?_ "

Vanellope had thought about her friends and family back at home.

" _In this place…_ "

Felix, Ralph and Calhoun.

" _Called…_ "

The _Sugar Rush_ racers.

" _Slaughter…_ "

Rancis.

" _Race…_ "

Vanellope has found the place of her dreams. She wanted _Slaughter Race_ to be her new life. She did not know much about the pros and cons of being in an online game, but if she had to risk it all, she'd die a happy death knowing she had fulfilled her dream. She never gave a thought of how the others would feel if she betrayed them. She was in a sticky situation. She decided to go to her new sisterly figure, Shank, for advice.

"There's no law saying best friends have to have the same dreams."

Ralph heard everything. To see that Vanellope was willing to give up everything she had worked for 15 years was beyond him. He wanted to get her back, and fast. _A virus would make her wanna stop coming to_ Slaughter Race, he thought. But boy, was he wrong. Instead of fixing, again, he only wrecked. He hurt himself more than he hurt Vanellope. _Why do I wreck everything I touch_?! Ralph asked himself. Instead of taking the blame, she blamed herself for everything.

"It's all because of me and the glitch! I should've just stayed with you instead of following some stupid dream!"

It broke Ralph's heart to hear this. Her taking the blame was guilt eating him alive.

" _I didn't mean for this to happen._ "

Vanellope was confused. "You didn't mean for _what_ to happen…?"

"I _kinda sorta_ maybe inserted a teeny tiny virus in the game?" he nervously chuckled.

"A virus?" she repeated. "Y-y-you did this!"

"Well I wouldn't have done anything if I hadn't heard you tell Shank that you wanted to live in _Slaughter Race_ forever!" he retorted.

"You were _spying_ on me?"

"You're not exactly innocent here, you're just gonna ditch everybody and abandon _Sugar Rush_!"

"Oh, please, I'm one of **16** racers they won't miss me!" she said.

"And what about me?!"

Vanellope was silent for a moment.

"Why would I spend another SECOND with you after what YOU did?!"

With that, she ripped his cookie medal and threw it into the seemingly bottomless bit.

"NO!"

It was gone. The one thing that told him he was a _bad_ guy, was gone. _No…_

"Vanellope, where are you going?!""

"Wherever you're not."

"Wait a minute, I can explain-"

"NO! You will NOT follow me!"

"Vanellope ple-"

"A FRIEND WOULD NEVER DO WHAT YOU DID, _NEVER_! So just LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Now the only _friend_ that told Ralph he wasn't a _bad_ guy was gone. _Please, don't leave me…_

* * *

 _Meanwhile in the penthouse_

The racers – Taffyta still outside – were all still mingling in a much nicer way. It's almost as if Felix and Calhoun completely reprogrammed them! They went from sour to sweet in one night. The group of children were gathered in a circle with Swizzle and Candlehead in the middle, the new potential couple of _Sugar Rush._ Most were happy for the 2, while others – mainly the boys – would take some getting used to. Every time Rancis looked up at the couple, he thought about him and Vanellope. Every time he thought of him and Vanellope, he thought of their RV1 they had made together. The kart really meant something to him. It's what made them become closer, but he never got to confess his true feelings. _Even if I did confess, in what world would she feel the same way_? The group has been talking about Ralph and Vanellope's going to the internet, and what they could possibly discover.

"Who do you think they'll meet?"

"Will they see our developer?"

"What does the internet smell like?"

"Who is the leader of the internet?"

"What if they get lost?!"

"What's an internet?"

"Hey Swizzy," Candlehead said to her 'boyfriend,' who had his arm linked around hers. She wore a worried expression on her face. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure Candles, what's up?"

The rest of the group listened up to see if it was a question they could answer for themselves.

"W-what if Vanellope finds a new game in the internet, a-and she wants to stay in that game instead, and she ditches all of us? If our game gets plugged in, what if it gets unplugged again?! What i-" Swizzle shushed her. Now all the racers had worried looks on their faces. Felix was not too far away from the racers, for he was washing the dishes from dinner. He had the same anxious expression. Even if they didn't talk often, he would miss her as much as Ralph and the racers would. "Candles, you know Vanny would never ditch us. We're all family, and I'm sure she feels the same way."

"I would miss her so much if she left," Minty said, while the other racers murmured 'me too.'

"There are 16 of us, who would tell the difference?" Sticky asked.

"Um, only everybody," Snowanna smartly responded back. "Vanellope was like, the most popular racer in our game. The gamers would be **devastated** if she just disappeared."

"Well someone oughtta teach those gamers that nothing lasts forever!" Gloyd said. "The show must go on!"

"But then who would be our leader?"

"The show must be put on pause!"

Before anyone could further continue the conversation, Calhoun and Taffyta walked into the penthouse, hand in hand. Now the last time they saw her, she stormed out of the family. Currently, she was looking calm and collected.

"I'm gonna go ahead and fill Fix-it in on everything," the sergeant whispered to her. "I'll let you take it from here."

"Thanks, ma'am." Taffyta said, giving her a salute. She walked to the group circle and was silent for a few moments. The strawberry-themed racer was greeted with dumbfounded looks, some whispering to one another, or some scared what was about to come next.

"Is something on your mind, Taffyta?" Jubileena asked to break the silence.

"Y-yeah," Taffyta replied. "I was just wondering…how you guys…y'know, feel about me."

Within seconds, the racers started blurting out answers, which Taffyta could not hear all at once. She waved her hands wildly to gesture them to stop talking.

"One at a time, please!"

The racers complied in a strange way, by forming a single file line.

"What are you guys doing…?"

"You want us to go one at a time, don't you?" Crumbelina remarked. Taffyta was still confused, but eventually shook it off and took what she got. "Okay, but Candlehead and Rancis, you stay in the back." They looked at each other and back at the pink racer, but shrugged it off and followed. Minty was the first in line.

"Well, Taffyta," Minty began. "You're a great racer and all…" Taffyta rolled her eyes at the obvious statement.

"…but sometimes we find it hard to be around you after hours because you can be a little, I dunno…"

"-conceited?" Swizzle, who was next in line to speak, finished for her, which earned a couple 'yeah's from the racers behind.

"Me? _Conceited_?" Taffyta asked. "W-what do you mean?"

"Well, you tend to act like you're above everyone in _Sugar Rush_ , when really, _Vanellope_ is," Gloyd, third in line, said, "and she still talks to us and hangs around like we're all on the same level of importance."

 _So, she's just outgoing to everybody…_

"Speaking of Vanellope," Citrusella, next in line, continued, "you were the leader when it came to bullying her. I just couldn't stand someone like us being treated like us! Right, recolors?" Sticky, Nougetsia, and Torvald were all behind her, nodding in agreement. "Hey! I feel as bad about it as you do!" Taffyta retorted, cheeks turning red. Crumbelina, who was behind the recolors, spoke next, giving her a skeptical look. "Really? Because these last 6 years, it seems like all you ever wanna do is compete with her." Taffyta clenched her fist and furrowed her eyebrows, she didn't like hearing the same accusations of her and Vanellope's rivalry.

"You're all wrong!" she yelled, grabbing Felix and Calhoun's attention, and making the racers clamp their mouths shut. "Vanellope's more than just a _coworker_ to me! She's more than just a _racing partner_ to me! She's a friend! A true friend! Something all of you aren't! I value her as much as you guys do, during and after arcade hours! If she were here right now, I would've given her a big hug! In front of all of you! And I would be proud, mod DARN IT!"

The racers' and the couples' mouths were agape. They did not expect that at all. The last 3 racers didn't know what to say. Candlehead and Rancis, who were last in the line, stepped up.

"Taffyta…" Rancis said, "we're so sorry… we had no idea you felt this way!"

" _No idea_?" Taffyta sneered. "How oblivious can this family possibly get?!"

"You can't blame us!" Candlehead shot back. "We thought you wanted nothing to do with us after arcade hours! You were so obsessed with all your cups and trophies, we thought you didn't even need friends, when all you had was your glory!"

"All this time, you guys never cared about winning?" Taffyta asked quietly, but still audible to the group.

"Why would we care about winning? I mean sure, racing and getting our game played is great and all, but our friendships mean more!" Adorabeezle affirmed as soon as she found her voice.

"You're our best friend, Taffyta," Jubileena said. Taffyta has gone completely silent.

"It would be great if you considered us your best friend, too," Snowanna said with an audible wink. Within a second, Taffyta was bawling her eyes out, in front of everyone.

"I-I-I'm so s-s-sorry you guys! Of course you all are my b-best friends!" she said in between tears and sniffles. Candlehead and Rancis were the first to embrace her, and soon the rest of the group, including Felix and Calhoun, followed suit.

"We love you, Taffyta." They all said.

The 4-letter sentence warmed her heart. She would never forget it.

"I love you guys too."

* * *

 **That's all for now, folks! If this story didn't really make sense, I apologize since I'm still kind of a rookie when it comes to writing stories XD hope you enjoyed the chapter, though! Your reviews and feedback are appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)**

 **-GOOD NEWS!-**

 **I'm thinking of making a side story on the Fix-it Family visiting Vanellope in the internet! It won't be based on the events on this story in particular, but more of the movie itself. I may start on January 4** **th** **(my birthday :D) but it would be pretty short. Considering making it a reality ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

He's Not Worth It – Chapter 6

 **Hey everyone! Here's chapter 6. Let's go!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Wreck-It Ralph/Ralph Breaks the Internet, but I've learned to live with that.**

 **Enjoy :)**

* * *

The family hug lasted at least 2 minutes. After the group broke apart, Felix and Calhoun held Taffyta back for one more piece of advice.

"Losing builds personality."

"Everyone is a winner, Taffyta."

November 21st, 2018 marks the day that Taffyta Muttonfudge became a new person.

* * *

 _ **In the Internet,**_

Vanellope had just lashed out at Ralph for his wrongdoing. She walked as far as she could from him. She was currently walking alone in a part of the internet that looked abandoned, with her hoodie on her head and hands stuffed in pockets.

" _Hey you._ "

Vanellope thought she was hearing things due to the voice being so faint, so she continued to walk to who knows where. She was taken aback when the voice called again, but it grew louder.

" _ **HEY YOU**_!"

"I-is someone there?" she nervously asked.

A circular figure with a red cloak covering its whole body bounced out of a dark shadow. Vanellope figured it was a bird, since its yellow beak was the only thing exposed.

"Are you…are you Vanellope von Schweetz from that classic 1997 arcade game _Sugar Rush_?" the figure asked nonchalantly.

"Yup, that's me," she responded with a disappointed look. "Why do you ask?'

"Well, a guy like me is wondering what the heck you're doing in the internet!"

"You see, my game got unplugged recently because the steering wheel that controls me and the other racers broke, so me and my… _friend_ , Wreck-it Ralph, came here to look for that steering wheel which is on eBay, and we just bought it and all, so… yeah."

"Where is your friend?" the figure's curiosity rose. Vanellope's eyebrows furrowed every time Ralph came to her mind. She sighed.

"We got into a huge fight, so I guess whichever way the wind blew him." She said while kicking a rock.

" _At least you have a friend left._ "

Vanellope raised her eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean? Who are you…?"

The round figure finally revealed itself, showing its large furrowed eyebrows with huge eyes, its full small red body with several dark spots, and its spiky black tail. "My name is Red. I'm from the game _Angry Birds._ " Since Vanellope barely knew anything about the internet, she barely knew online games. She just nodded to acknowledge his response, but to Red, that wasn't the case.

"Ah, of course you forgot about me," he scoffed. "It all went down to nothing all those years ago."

"What happened all those years ago?" Vanellope asked.

 _-Flashback-_

" _Well, 8 years ago,_ Angry Birds _use to be the most popular game on the internet!_ " Red explained. Red was in a slingshot, ready to be launched by a netuser standing behind. He got pulled back, was released, and charged for the green pigs. The netuser clapped their hands twice to make the Red speed up. He successfully hit the pigs and won the level.

" _We got hundreds of thousands of gamers every day, people loved us, and we were living our best lives,_ " Red continued.

Another level was shown with Red, 3 other similar looking birds, and one black bird bigger then him.

" _I remember the good old days with Bomb. My best bud. He was the bomb. Literally!_ " A netuser launched Bomb into the air, aiming for the pigs. The netuser clapped twice, but instead of speeding up, he exploded pixel by pixel, killing all the pigs.

" _Bomb was the strongest bird in all of_ Angry Birds," Red said, " _he would explode and knock those pigs out within seconds! He regenerated, so it was all good._ " Vanellope let out a sigh of relief.

" _Life was great and everything until we one day heard what happens to online games when it gradually decreases in popularity: it shuts down._ _Forever_ _._ " Vanellope felt her heart sink. What if the same thing could happen to _Slaughter Race_? Sure, she knew nothing would last forever, and the same would eventually happen to _Sugar Rush_ as well, but she didn't want to end like this guy!

" _My other buddies, Chuck (a triangular yellow bird), Jay, Jake, Jim (triplet blue birds), Matilda (white bird), and the pigs were all confident our game would last for a long time since our game was really popular, but me and Bomb just weren't buying it_! _They weren't wrong at first, the game was still popular for a good 2 years, but then January 2013 hit, and suddenly people just… stopped playing. Me, the birds and the pigs noticed, but I was most alert of it. One midnight, everyone was sleeping, and I was collecting seeds for my dinner the next day, and I noticed something strange. I saw the ground miles away from me pixelating!_ Angry Birds _was getting shut down and all my friends were still asleep_! _I made an exit for the game as fast as I could without even looking back to help my friends. And I feel horrible to this day._ " Red's friends were immediately woken up by the shaking of the ground underneath them. They ran as a group and made a beeline for the exit as fast as possible.

" _Where's Red?!_ " Jake asked.

" _He must've made it out the game already!_ " Chuck replied.

" _We gotta get to the exit, and fast!_ " Bomb said.

But they ran out of time. The darkness had sucked all of them in. "RED!" was the last thing that came out of their mouths before they disappeared forever. Vanellope was speechless and was at a loss for words. She now wanted to go back to the arcade more than ever. She now realized what Ralph was trying to do, but she was still mad at him for ruining everything. He started the mess from the get-go! They wouldn't even be here if it weren't for him! She still felt bad for the homeless bird.

"I-I'm sorry," she only said.

"Sorry? For me?" the red bird retorted. "If it weren't for my selfishness, we'd all be here right now, figuring something out! Don't feel sorrow for me, feel sorrow for the others!" Before Vanellope could say anything else, the bird ran away legs moving quick.

"Wait!" she cried. Red didn't comply. He only moved faster than before, disappearing into the infinite world of the internet. Vanellope had so many emotions flowing through her head right now. She then realized how she was being selfish, just leaving her close friends behind without even letting them know or saying goodbye. She even thought, in a way, she was going Turbo, because of her want to have more out of life. She had been a glitch for 15 years. Her dream was to be a racer, and now she is the most professional 9-year-old racer there is! She had already fulfilled her dream! What more could she want than to be a racer? She was interrupted by a large 9-foot figure walking by. Anger overpowered all her emotions.

"Ralph, I told you _not_ to follow me!" she hissed.

"FRIEND?" the mindless creature asked. Vanellope produced a dumbfounded look.

"…cut that out, you're scaring me…!" she said. 2 more Ralphs appeared from behind her.

"FRIIIEEEEEEEND?" they both moaned. Vanellope tried to escape, but she was met with thousands of Ralphs climbing internet buildings.

"Sweet mother of _Ralph_!"

* * *

 **That's all for now, folks! I'm pretty sure the rest of the story will take place in the internet, but if not then points of views will switch between the arcade and the internet. I'll most likely wrap this story up in 2 chapters :(** **but I gotta say, I enjoyed writing it. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Your reviews and feedback are appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)**


	7. Chapter 7

He's Not Worth It – Chapter 7

 **Hey everyone! Here's chapter 7. I know I promised you guys this today, but I'm just going to be real with you guys: I'm a heavy procrastinator XD I have the motivation to write and publish stories, but sometimes I feel like I have so much to do, I have nothing to do. Anyway, on with the show!**

 **Disclaimer: unless I had a certain amount of creativity and patience, I do not own Wreck-It Ralph/Ralph Breaks the Internet.**

 **Enjoy :)**

* * *

Word had already spread that the 'Wreck-it Ralph virus' has traveled throughout the internet. Since Vanellope needed help, Knowsmore was her best bet.

" _Mr. Knowsmore!_ "

"Hmm? Oh delightful, you're that courteous little girl, who says 'thank you,'" he beamed. "What can Knowsmore help you find today?"

"There's a whole bunch of-"

" _Whole bunch of love? Hole in the wall? Hole in my basket?_ " the humpty dumpty-like figure started blurting out guesses.

"No, there's a whole bunch of Ralphs chasing me!" Vanellope cried, and as if on cue, the Ralph viruses appeared and started running towards the pair. They proceeded to hide in the rectangular shelter that housed Knowsmore. The door on the side started banging.

"How long do you think it'll be until they get in here?"

"Precisely one second." Ralph – the _real_ Ralph – barged in, and without second thoughts, the two shorties started hurling items at him, until he convinced them it was him.

"I think they're after you, kid!" Ralph yelped.

"Yeah, ya think?" Vanellope snapped. "What did you do?!"

"I don't know what happened!"

"Well I think it's pretty obvious." The duo turned their attention to the intellectual. "It was because an insecurity virus took hold of all your needy, clingy, self-destructive behavior, which will not only lead to destroying friendship, but the _entire internet_!" Ralph dropped his head in shame as Knowsmore was explain the circumstance.

So Taffyta had been right.

Ralph is clingy.

Ralph _is_ needy.

* * *

 _ **In**_ **Fix-it Felix Jr.,**

"Y'know," Taffyta said, "I'm beginning to feel bad for what I said to Ralph earlier."

"What did you say to him?" Citrusella asked.

"I told him he was being all needy and clingy towards Vanellope just to please her and act as her servant," she answered quietly, but still audible to the racers.

"Taff, you should've cut him some slack!" Candlehead cried.

"Candles is right," Swizzle said, squeezing her hand. "The guy has been living alone in a pile of bricks for 30 years treated like dirt, without any friends. I gotta say, I'm really glad he and Vanellope met. They're like two peas in a pod!" The racers nodded in agreement until they recalled the uttered word of their president.

 _Vanellope…_

Over the last 6 years, the characters from _Sugar Rush_ and the characters from _Fix-it Felix Jr._ (with the exception of Gene, sort of) have grown to love their former outcasts. To see that the two characters weren't holding a grudge against them after more than a decade of torment was beyond took a moment of silence for their heroes.

" _If Sugar Rush_ gets plugged back in," Jubileena said as she broke the silence, "Will Ralph be allowed in?"

"We can leave that decision up to Vanellope," Taffyta affirmed. "But for now, I think its best we temporarily ban him, JUST until he learns to stop wrecking everything he touches." "Even though we know he means no harm," Rancis finished off for her. Out of nowhere, the PA system came on in _Fix-it Felix, Jr.,_ which also came on in the rest of the games throughout the arcade.

" _ATTENTION GAME CENTRAL CITIZENS, MR. LITWAK HAS ENTERED THE BUILDING. PLEASE REPORT TO YOUR GAMES THIS INSTANT._ "

Mr. Litwak is here? On a Sunday? But the arcade is closed on Sundays! Unless-

Oh.

He was here with the maintenance guy, meaning it would be time to dig _Sugar Rush's_ grave. The racers went to the top of the building where they could see their lifeless game, and kissed their home goodbye. Fortunately for them, Litwak and the maintenance guy wouldn't be able to see them since the big 'FIX-IT FELIX JR.' logo was blocking them. Eventually, Felix and Calhoun were at the top of the building as well, doing their best to comfort each and every one of the racers.

* * *

 _ **In the real world,**_

Mr. Litwak parked his car next to the maintenance guy's truck, and grabbed the keys to the arcade.

"Thanks again for comin' a day early, Dan," Litwak said. "I wanted to get the part-selling of _Sugar Rush_ over with. I still can't bear to see one of the sweetest racing games in the arcade go!" Dan wasn't a very social guy, so all he said was "meh, it happens." Just then, Litwak nearly tripped over a random object sitting by the entrance to the arcade. It was a medium-sized cardboard box, and to Litwak's surprise, the object inside seemed fairly light.

" _To Stan Litwak, eBay?"_ Litwak read. "I don't remember ordering anything from eBay. I guess I'll have a look at what the heck this thing is." He went into his office while Dan started looking around the buzzing excitement the video games had to offer, all except one.

 _No way,_ Litwak thought. _Who would be this generous to send this?_ It was the _Sugar Rush_ steering wheel! He tried to run as fast as his old legs could carry him. "Hey Dan, you think you could work some magic with this steering wheel?" Dan nodded, took the wheel and started screwing it into its respective position.

 _Man, if Fix-it Felix were a real-life character, he would've gotten this done in an instant_! Litwak thought. Unbeknowst to him, the two men were being watched. Dan had finished his handiwork as he finished his thought.

"Good as new," he said dryly.

"Thanks, bud!" Litwak beamed. The wheel was indeed functioning and turning on command like it was supposed to. There was only one thing left to do…

* * *

 _ **In Game Central Station,**_

The Fix-it Family had watched the whole thing in disbelief. The racers couldn't believe it! Their game was getting plugged back in!

"Oh my land!" Felix exclaimed. "Litwak is about to plug your game back in! We better hurry!" They ran down the steps, waited impatiently for the elevator to reach the main floor, scooped up Sour Bill, making him lose his doorman attire and made a beeline for Game Central Station. Apparently, everyone else in the arcade saw what happened out in the real world because the majority of them were gathered around the empty hole. The Candy NPCs were also there, which took the racers by surprise seeing that there were still hundreds of them. The 'new game' buzzer sounded. The plug was slowly pushed in as electrical lights shot everywhere. Finally, the plug was fully in, revealing the 'new' game: _Sugar Rush._ The _Sugar Rush_ characters erupted in joy and excitement. No one really knew what happened to _Sugar Rush_ in the first place since it had gotten unplugged during arcade hours, but still managed to show sympathy for the avatars.

"THANK YOU, RALPH AND VANELLOPE!" the Fix-it Family shouted in unison, as if the two were watching over them.

* * *

 **That's all for now, folks! So glad that everything is back to normal,** _ **for now**_ **. In the next chapter, there will be a** _ **slight**_ **change of events. I'm afraid you guys might not like it, but please don't screech at me ;-; hope you enjoyed the chapter! Your reviews and feedback are appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

He's Not Worth It – Chapter 8

 **Hi all. I took a bit longer to get this chapter done because I was 75% done before, and my computer automatically restarted, and it didn't give me the option to save it, AND it didn't autosave, so everything got deleted and I am SUPER upset right now and I feel bad to keep you guy waiting because this will interfere with my school work, so I can either write with whatever time I have during the week, or just spend all of my good time writing during the weekend. But it's sad to say this will be the last chapter of this story :( it probably won't be as good because now I have to write it from memory, but better than nothing.**

 **ANYHOOZLES!**

 **Enough with the sad stuff! I want to get into the chapter as much as you do, but before I begin, I want to just take this moment to recognize all my reviewers, but most importantly:**

 **PresidentTaffyta**

 **Tigress-is-Awesome (you really are ;0)**

 **Pinksakura271**

 **If it weren't for you guys, I would've ended at Chapter 4 XD but you guys motivate me to keep moving forward, and you expand my imagination to levels I never knew it could go to. For that, you all get a virtual hug \o/ thank you! There will be Vanilla Butter in this chapter :D**

 **Disclaimer: Knock Knock!  
Who's there?  
I.  
I who?  
I don't own Wreck-it Ralph/Ralph Breaks the Internet.**

 **Enjoy :)**

* * *

Ralph and Vanellope had just defeated the giant Ralph virus, and everything was coming back to normal. They were sitting on a bench, exchanging quite rather interesting observations about the internet, slowly restoring their friendship in the process.

"You know what I just realized? The sun never sets or rises because everything is always on!" Ralph pointed out.

"Well isn't that an astute observation," Vanellope said.

"I know right? Y'know other than Knowsmore, I'm probably the smartest guy in the internet," Ralph said confidently, making Vanellope chuckle.

"Yo V!" Shank and her crew approached the two. "We're about to come back online, you ready?"

"Be right there!"

"And hey, Ralph," Shank continued, "don't be a stranger."

"Well I can't be much stranger than you, Shank!" Ralph replied but dumbfounded. The crew behind her snickered.

"That's a good bad joke, Ralph!" with that, they turned back to their game, Ralph making the opposite direction to his home. Vanellope stopped him before he could continue further.

"Hey, don't forget, Shank added my code and everything so I'll be able to regenerate. I'm gonna be totally safe!" she assured.

"I know," he responded. "You're gonna be great! You found your dream game!"

"Yeah I did!" she paused for a moment. _I did…_ "I-I guess I should probably head in there, y'know, I ca-"

"Wait, before you go," Ralph said, "I wanted to give you this." He pulled out what revealed to be half of the cookie medal. Vanellope instantly regret what she did earlier.

"I'm so sorry I broke it, Ralph…" she said as her voice broke, but he waved her off.

"No, no, it's okay, now we can both have a half! See?" he said revealing the other half of the medal.

"Yeah…!" silence filled the air for a few moments before Vanellope jumped up and gave Ralph the biggest hug her tiny arms could offer, which startled him, but did the same, doing his best to not crush her.

" _I love you so much._ " She whispered, tearing up. " _I'm gonna miss you._ "

" _I'm gonna miss you too, kid. I really am…_ " this was a moment they did not want to end. The hug felt like it lasted forever, the two half medals briefly connecting.

"Alright, you're gettin' a little clingy on me here," Ralph slightly chuckled, setting the girl down and wiping a tear off her face. "Go on, get outta here. The world's waiting for ya, kid." She complied and started towards _Slaughter Race_. They exchanged a few waves, until Vanellope was completely out of sight. He finally turned around and made way to Game Central Station.

* * *

 _ **In**_ **Slaughter Race,**

 _So, this is it,_ Vanellope thought. _This is my new life. It all starts here…_ she took in the environment surrounding her. Everything gave off a yellowish hue. _Slaughter Race…_ She was used to everything being pink, sweet and sugary around her, everything and anything in the shape of a square or rectangle, occasionally hearing cybugs hiss in a distance, and the environment being dark and foggy, metal clanking under her feet, and the buzzing sound of only mod knows how many characters roaming around GCS. Honestly, she never wanted it to become a once in a lifetime feeling. If not racing, that feeling gave her life.

Oh right, the characters.

Vanellope spent most of these 6 years around Ralph. As close as they were, she also liked hanging out with Felix, Calhoun, and sometimes the _Sugar Rush_ citizens. The Fix-it couple were usually found around her if they and Ralph were watching her in the Random Roster Race, or they were talking to Ralph in general. Otherwise, they would usually pretend Vanellope was their 'child' to practice parenting, and it was always blast. The _Sugar Rush_ racers. Now, they still were on shaky terms, but she was doing her best to get to know them. She was closest with Rancis, due to the fact they built a kart together, and she helped him win his first 1st place cup. An indescribable feeling hit her. She often felt as she could be _more_ than friends with him. But that wasn't important. That was her life before, and this is her new life. She had then remembered what Red had said to her.

" _ **If an online game begins to gradually decrease in popularity, it will shut down. Forever.**_ "

Vanellope was still astonished by this fact. Yeah, video games and characters won't live forever, and the same thing will eventually happen to _Sugar Rush_ , but she didn't want to end up like Red, all alone, if the same thing that happened to him would happen to her! The internet is a world that seems to go on forever and ever, but in GCS, she at least knew where she was going. She was snapped back into reality when several people from Shank's crew passed her. She took a look around the environment, and the characters, once more.

 _What am I doing?_

This game was rated M! _Sugar Rush_ was rated E! She didn't fit in at all! She was a bright and colorful character, while everything else was just bland and moody! What were the players going to think when they see a small, chibi nine-year-old girl in a game like this? Shank and her crew were NPCs! Their mission was to prevent the character from achieving a goal, while in _Sugar Rush_ , the racers were to _help_ them! Plus, Vanellope loved nothing more than to feel the sweet (no pun intended) sensation of a gamer controlling her every move. She could sit back and relax.

" _Look, wise guy, I know I'm a racer, I can feel it in my code_!" Vanellope recalled to the first time she met Ralph.

" _Please, I just wanna race like you guys!_ " she remembered crying when the racers were wrecking her _Likkety Split._ It was at that moment Vanellope realized, she had already achieved her dream.

She became a racer.

Probably the most professional child racer in the arcade, thanks to Ralph and her original home. What if _Slaughter Race_ wasn't everything she wanted? She only spent a good 10-15 minutes in the game. The atmosphere in the game often made her throat itch, due to the sugar in her code being vaporized.

 _I can't._

She just wasn't ready to leave everyone behind. She wanted to break the news to Shank, but it would've made her sound ungrateful, and she wouldn't be so happy, but then she remembered…

" _All friendships change, but the good ones get stronger._ "

Her train of thought was interrupted again when Shank approached once more.

"Hey V!" she greeted. Vanellope quickly hid her agitated expression, replacing it with a fake, toothy smile. Shank noticed the act she was pulling. "Is everything okay?"

"Y-yeah," she said. "I just wanna go check out the internet some more. I gotta get a hang of the area, y-y'know?" But she knew she was doing the exact opposite.

"Me, Pyro and Felony can show you around!" Shank offered. "We know the place pretty well."

"Nah, it's fine, Yesss already offered." Shank was skeptical, but she trusted the girl. "Alright, I know you wouldn't go anywhere behind my back." Vanellope's heart sank. "But anyway, go crazy," Shank continued. "We go online in 30 minutes." They ended their conversation with a fist bump and took off. Once Vanellope was sure Shank was out of sight, she made a beeline for the exit, to find Ralph.

* * *

 _ **In the internet,**_

Vanellope made it to the Hub, and with her luck, Ralph was just entering the portal that lead to Game Central Station.

"RALPH!" she shouted, getting the giant's attention. He was taken aback to see Vanellope outside _Slaughter Race._

"Vanellope, what are doing?! I thought _Slaughter Race_ was about to go online!"

"I don't want _Slaughter Race_!" Vanellope quickly said, taking Ralph by surprise, after everything they've been through just to get to this point, just for her to decline it again. "I want to be with you! Felix, Calhoun! Rancis, Taffyta, Candlehead, everyone! I want _SUGAR RUSH_!"

"But you sai-"

"FORGET WHAT I SAID!" Vanellope interrupted. "Everything I've been working for, I can't just throw it away! _Sugar Rush_ is and always will be my home! So what if the game's too easy? I can still make the best out of it! It is my job, no matter how long it takes for me to accept it!" Ralph couldn't help at smile at what the little girl was saying. _Man, I taught the kid well,_ he thought.

"That's great you know, but don't you want something new and exciting to happen to your game?"

"NOPE!"

Ralph smirked. "Really? Well, agree to disagree." Vanellope picked up on what Ralph was going at. "Wait, I don't wanna disagree!"

"No, no, it's just a fancy way of saying we don't have to argue about it," Ralph said smugly.

"We're arguing?! I don't wanna argue!" Vanellope cried playfully.

"Relax! Stop making it a thing! Now, hop on, kid." Vanellope gladly accepted his offer and glitched onto his shoulder, making way to Game Central Station. Vanellope took out her BuzzzPhone and called Yesss.

"Vanellope, my favorite little popup! How's everything?"

"Great. Tell Shank I won't be back for a while. I'm sure she'll understand."

"Why? What's going on?" Ralph and Vanellope exchanged smirks.

"I'm going home."

* * *

 _ **In Fix-it Felix Jr.,**_

The arcade opens in 1 hour. Felix and Calhoun were sitting atop of the Niceland apartment watching their kids from the screen doing a roster race for the first time since their game got plugged back in. They were relieved there was more space to breathe, but it did get quiet, and the children's company was often entertaining to them. As much as they wanted to go with their children, it just didn't feel right without Vanellope racing or Ralph cheering her on as well, louder than they were. Unbeknownst to the couple, two figures, one small and the other large, were silently approaching them.

" _Did you miss us_?" Vanellope walked up to them and whispered in both their ear, startling them, almost making them fall off the apartment.

"Ralph? Vanellope?!" the couple said in unison.

"We're back!" Vanellope said in a sing-song voice. Felix and Calhoun pulled their child into a deep embrace. It was a warm, loving embrace that Vanellope never wanted to escape. Eventually Ralph picked the 3, still bunched up in a hug, and formed a large family embrace. They broke apart for Felix to speak.

"We're so glad you two are okay!" Felix exclaimed. "We thought you two could've gotten lost! Or held hostage! Or worse, die and never regenerate!"

"Psh, me and Vanellope?" Ralph snickered. "I think you got the wrong characters, pal." Ralph looked up at the large screen that separated the four and the humans. His expression perked up into a wider smile when he saw _Sugar Rush_ was lively and up in running.

"AW, YEAH!" Vanellope shouted in victory, making the three adults slightly cringe. "Mr. Litwak put on the new steering wheel! _Sugar Rush_ is saved!"

"Yeah, thanks to you two knuckleheads," Calhoun said while ruffling the child's candy-filled hair. "We're both proud that you considered not only you, but the safety of your game. That's the behavior of a true soldier." "So does that mean I get to be a soldier just like you and Kohut?!" she asked while bouncing up and down. Ralph and Felix grimaced at that idea. "We'll have to think about it," Calhoun simply responded, clearly already knowing the answer to that question, but not wanting to bring the girl's spirits down. The core four went silent for a moment, then another question hit Vanellope and broke the silence.

"Where's Sour Bill and the other racers?"

"They're doing a roster race right now," Felix responded.

"Awwww, without me?!" she whined, making the adults chuckle.

"It's dedicated to you, pipsqueak," the Sarge added, "and they also thought of doing a 'Just-For-Fun race if – _when_ you come back." Vanellope smiled a mischievous smile. "Well, what're you waiting for, come on, let's go!" Vanellope ran to the edge of the building and made a cannon-ball to, well, her doom, is what the adults thought, making their faces pale, until they heard an audible _voop_. They looked over the edge and figured that Vanellope used her glitch to land safely on the ground. "Come on, you slow pokes, times a wastin'!" the girl shouted again. _Vanellope will be the death of me_ , the adults all thought.

Once they had reached the ground, Ralph stopped the couple to give the two souvenirs. It was two BuzzzPhones. "What's this for, Wreck-it?" Calhoun asked. "Oh, it's just for, y'know, if we're separated and far apart, we can just call and check up on each other!" the wrecker explained. "You have me, Vanellope and the racers." Ralph got out his own BuzzzPhone and called Vanellope for demonstration. He was utterly startled by her shrill voice.

"GET YOUR MOLASSES IN GAME CENTRAL STATION!" she shrieked and ended the conversation. Afraid of what would happen next, the adults made a beeline for Game Central Station.

* * *

 _ **In**_ **Sugar Rush,**

The first Random Roster Race since _Sugar Rush_ got unplugged was taking place. Rancis had just crossed the finish line in first place, with Taffyta behind in second, Snowanna in third place, Candlehead in fourth place, Swizzle in fifth, Nougetsia in sixth, Jubileena in seventh, Sticky in eight, and Citrusella in ninth, making up the roster for the next day. The crowd went wild!

"Gosh," Rancis said. "I'm sorry you didn't win the race, Taffyta!" "Don't be silly!" Taffyta waved off. "Our friendship means way more to me than winning!" Felix and Calhoun were already in the audience, applauding the child's act of courtesy, while the Surge Protector sat there dumbfounded. "Losing builds character!" Felix shouted. "Everyone's a winner!" Calhoun shouted, referring to their conversation they had earlier. Eventually the remaining racers crossed the finish line, and congratulated each other, saying how well they did in the race even if they were near, or _were_ in last place. With the exception of Rancis, the racers went over to their parents to ask about Ralph and Vanellope, but mostly Vanellope.

 **(Behind the stands)**

"Man, oh man, this is gonna be so exciting!" Vanellope exclaimed. "I can't wait to see the look on everyone's face when they see I'm here!" Her expression faltered. "But… I'm nervous. What if they would be perfectly fine without me? What do you think Ralph – Ralph?" She turned around to see him crawling away. "What are you doing?"

"I dunno kid," Ralph sighed, "the last time I interacted with the racers, it wasn't so pretty. Maybe you should go out there without me. I'll be waiting in the wings for ya." He continued to crawl away, but Vanellope held him back, even though it had no effect, but he stopped anyway when he felt that light tug. "You're not going anywhere!" she demanded. "It's either all of us, or none of us! Is not a _duty_ as a hero?" She couldn't be serious whenever that word came out of hers or anyone's mouth. Ralph groaned in response and complied.

 **(Back at the winner's circle)**

Rancis took a look at his trusty RV1, the one he and Vanellope made together, which is why it was so special. Though it was mixed with a variety of ingredients, it had hints of a vanilla aroma, identical to her scent, so he would often kiss the vanilla-scented parts. He reflected back to the time the kart was first made.

* * *

" _Check out the RV – for Rancis and Vanellope. I couldn't have done this without you!" he admitted._

" _That's PRESIDENT Vanellope… but I'll let it slide this time."_

* * *

He blushed every time he thought of that moment, still fresh in his memory, never letting it go away.

" _Vanellope…_ " he whispered aloud.

"Rancis?" said a voice. He was taken aback to see Vanellope standing right in front of him, with a shy smile and rosy cheeks.

"Vanellope?!" he repeated, now audible to the rest of the characters. The racers whipped their heads around at the mention of the name.

"VANELLOPE?!"

"Yes, Vanellope von Schweetz!" she said with an exasperated tone. "The one and onl-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" she was startled when Rancis embraced her, and the rest of the racers following suit, tackling them into a large group hug. The crowd erupted in cheers. Once they broke apart, Vanellope finally got to speak.

"So I take it that you guys missed me," she said smugly. "OF COURSE!" the racers said simultaneously, making her grimace.

"We can't imagine what _Sugar Rush_ is without you!" Candlehead cried.

"You hold all of us together!" Adorabeezle said.

"Yeah, we love you, Vanellope!" Jubileena said.

"Aw, shucks, guys," Vanellope said, slightly blushing, on the verge of tears.

"You missed out on all the fun!" Gloyd teased. "We got to spend time with Felix and Sarge all day yesterday, and we did all kinds of stuff!" The racers started blurting out the numerous activities they did.

"We played board games!"

"We played musical chairs!"

"We washed dishes!"

"We managed to deal with that one channel."

"We fixed stuff!"

Hearing all the things the racers did with Felix and Calhoun made her feel sort of left out, which wasn't their intention, but she was still happy they had fun.

"Candlehead and Swizzle are a thing!" Torvald said. All the characters turned the attention to the two racers standing side by side. Once the awkwardness was tense enough, Candlehead couldn't take it anymore. "Why I oughtta-!" She pulled Swizzle into a fierce kiss, 8-but hearts forming around them. 'Ooh's and 'ah's filled the air. Vanellope was used to that sight at this point. As much as she hated to admit it, she wanted to experience that feeling with someone else.

"Did I miss _anything else_?" Vanellope asked to break the two apart, after a good 15 seconds passed.

"Oh, right!" Minty said. "We're getting an update as soon as the arcade opens! We get 10 new tracks!" Apparently, this news was new to the other characters from all the loud murmurs, but Vanellope was doing her little happy dance.

"Can this day get any better?!"

"Yes it can, girl! We were gonna do a 'Just-For-Fun' race once you would back here," Snowanna answered.

"AW YEAH!" she whooped with her fists in the air. "Where's my kart?!" The racers' bubbly expressions faltered.

"Well… your kart wasn't exactly _programmed_ into the game, so it disappeared when the game was unplugged," Rancis explained. "We searched the whole game!" Vanellope was now devastated. Many things kept her going in life, her racing kart being one of them, the one she and Ralph made together. It was gone. Forever. It was almost like a part of her was missing. A void in her heart that couldn't be filled.

"What am I gonna race with…?"

"With THIS!" Vanellope directed her attention to the recolors, all surrounding a cloak with a weird-looking figure underneath. They pulled it off to reveal a kart – an _Ice Cream Kart_! The crowd gasped. It was neater, and followed her color scheme more. The wheels were painted mint green and chocolate brown. The rear was large mint chocolate ice cream scoop covered with Hershey's chocolate syrup and sprinkles. The nose of the kart was filled with chocolate **[if you couldn't tell by now, i love chocolate c:]** , and the base was a plain vanilla waffle cone with a mint green "V" engraved on the hood. The seat was a devil dog. Vanellope's mouth was agape. Yes, it was extraordinary, but her old lopsided kart had more value and love.

 **[A/N if you want a visual rep of the kart, check my bio!** **]**

"We made it for you," Crumbelina said. "We put so much thought, effort and heart into it. We made sure it was part of the game this time. I'm sure the developers will notice it and add it, but we hope you like it!" The racers all hung their heads for an answer.

"I…" Vanellope took a good look at her new kart. She scrunched up her face.

"I _LOVE_ it!" She ran over to hug as many of the racers as she could. The racers themselves were even envious of the kart. Even _Felix and Calhoun_ were! "This day can't get any better!"

"Oh, but it can," Jubileena said. "Not until we start that race!" The children and the NPCs all cheered.

"WAIT!" Taffyta screamed. The cheering immediately stopped. "Vanellope, didn't Ralph come back with you?" The vanilla-themed racer nodded slowly.

"Where is he?" the racers started asking.

"Right here." The racers whipped their heads around to see the wrecker slowly approaching them.

"RALPH!" They shrieked. They made a beeline for the giant and immediately surrounded him, begging and pleading for his forgiveness, some crying, some furious, some confused (cough, Candlehead, cough). Ralph couldn't help but find it amusing. "Alright, alright, one at a time, it's okay, it's okay!"

"Ralph, we know you mean a lot to Vanellope, so you can come here anytime, e-even if you wreck something a-and something goes wrong!" Swizzle said shaking in his boots.

"Kid-"

"You can have all the candy you want!" Minty said. "You can eat our houses, our karts and everything!"

"I would never-"

"You can throw us in the mud as many times as you can!" Adorabeezle said. "Just pleeeeeeaaaassee forgive us!"

"CAN IT, ALL OF YOU!" Ralph demanded, making the racers clamp their mouths shut. "I'm doing any of that! I forgive all of you!"

"You _forgive_ us?" Gloyd scoffed. "What the fudge is with you and Vanellope and forgiving people so easily?!"

"You want me to hold a grudge...?"

" _Yes_!" Taffyta responded. "We deserve it!"

"Nobody deserves punishment!" Ralph yelled. "If it's anyone. I-it's me." the racers all hung their heads low in guilt. "I'm the one who started this mess. You wouldn't have to be going through any of this if it weren't for me." "But Ralph!" Candlehead interrupted. "We wouldn't be _together_ if weren't for you!" "That's sweet," Ralph continued, "but...I feel like I get in the way of everything you all do, so... if you're thinking of kicking me out, do it. I completely understand." No one spoke up as he turned the opposite direction towards the exit, because they figured there was nothing they could say to change his mind. Felix, Calhoun and Surge saw and heard everything, feeling sorrow for the big guy.

"Now wait just a minute."

Everyone directed their gaze to the president, who showed no expression but confidence and smug. "First of all, you're not going anywhere. Second of all, _I_ determine who stays, and who goes." Ralph cocked an eyebrow, both in confusion and curiosity. He awaited an answer from the president. She facepalmed.

"Well, obviously you're staying, g'doi!" The characters all cheered, and the racers jumped up to hug Ralph, their supposedly uncle. He gave his little friend a mischievous smile, which she returned.

"But you will have _one_ punishment." The characters once again turned their attention to the kid president. "You have to chug 2 whole bottles of chocolate milk! Tonight at Tapper's!" Everyone in the game grimaced at the punishment, knowing Ralph – well, he was adjusting to chocolate, but he still wasn't as fond of it.

"Deal." he said, shaking the child's hand.

"Now get your molasses in the audience, we got a race!" The children obliged by running to their karts and getting in start position. Before she could proceed to her kart, she was startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder, which was from none other than Rancis.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"So, the internet, huh?"

"Yup."

"L-look, Vanellope, I never thought I'd get a chance to tell you this but I…"

"Uh-huh…"

" _I…_ "

" _Uh-huh…_ "

" _L-l-llll-_ "

"Spit it out, Fluggerbutt!"

Once he couldn't take the pressure anymore, he gave in and gave her a hard peck on the cheek. Vanellope was taken aback and face as red as Jubileena's hair.

"I like you."

It had taken a few moments for Vanellope to process what just happened, until she returned the peck.

"I like you too."

This made him blush bright red, smiling from ear to ear. However, he remembered he was standing right in front of his crush, so he succeeded at containing his excitement, clearing his throat.

"That's cool," he said with a smug look, making Vanellope giggle. She started to lean in, and Rancis followed suit, and then-!

" _Ahem._ " **[Seriously, Calhoun?]**

Ralph, Calhoun and Felix gave the two children a death glare, while the candy NPCs cooed at the sight. Thankfully, the racers paid no mind to them. _Sweet mother of monkey milk, when will those three ever leave me alone?_ She thought with an exasperated look, but Rancis was slightly amused.

"SARGE, IS THAT A CYBUG BEHIND YOU?!" she shouted to temporarily distract them.

Calhoun's soldier instincts immediately kicked in. "WHERE?!" she whipped her head around, Felix and Ralph doing the same, while the audience looked around with horror and/or confusion in their eyes. The two looked back at each other and giggled, before he cupped both his hands on her face and pulled her in for a good 5-second kiss. She melted in the sweet taste of his peanut butter lips. This time, the racers noticed and cheered for them.

"I didn't see any cybug!" Calhoun scowled.

"False alarm, I guess," Vanellope said snickering, fist bumping Rancis.

"That is no laughing matter soldier!"

Before the conversation could continue, the NPCs started chanting "RACE! RACE! RACE! RACE!" Vanellope and Rancis made a beeline for their karts, blowing each other a kiss before they parted. Vanellope's kart was in the middle up front, between Taffyta and Jubileena. The countdown started.

" _ **3**_ _…_ "

"Vanellope, I hope we can all make good friends with Ralph," Taffyta said.

" _ **2**_ _…_ "

"Heh, ol' Stinkbrain will be one of the best pals you'll ever get know because…"

" _ **1**_ _…"_

"He's worth it."

" _ **GO**_ _!_ "

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed the story guys! If you're a little disappointed with the Vanilla Butter part, I'm sorry T-T I'm not that good at "spicing things up" XD but I'll learn! I'm definitely considering making a story where the Fix-it Family visit Vanellope! So stay tuned for that! R &R and see you next time!**


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